The Places I’ve Been

Another previously-posted entry. Thought I would update the list to reflect my recent drive across the country.

This is a quick little post based on some survey* making the rounds on Facebook asking each person to pick which states they have actually set foot in. What I will do is list all the states and whether or not I have ever stepped foot in them. I will also indicate which ones that I have only flown through (via the airports in my numerous travels) or simply driven through (not counting states that I only stopped for gas). This should be interesting.

*For some reason, the survey has 100 choices, which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. There are 50 states people! Las Vegas, Nevada is not a state and “Callifornia” is only spelled with one “L”.

ALABAMA – Never been to this state, though I am told it is lovely by people in the know.

ALASKA – Never been to this state. However, we Eberhard Children may be taking the Eberhard Parents on an Alaskan cruise for the 50th anniversary so it may get checked off the list in the near future.

ARIZONA – Have visited many times. My father’s brother used to live in Fredonia, and my brother currently lives in Glendale. I have also flown through the Sky Harbor International Airport on my way to other destinations as well.

ARKANSAS – Never been here either, but I do intend some day to visit the Clinton Library.

CALIFORNIA – Have been to the liberal bastion that is California numerous times, including the “north” (San Francisco) and the “south” (Los Angeles/San Diego). California is a big deal in my family as it is where my parents both grew up for the most part, and is also where my sister Jen currently resides.

COLORADO – I have only ever flown through Denver, and even that stop was brief. I don’t think I even got off the plane. I do plan on visiting there soon though.

CONNECTICUT – I lived in Nutmeg State from October 2001 until July 2011, and I recently lost my condo to foreclosure in June. My Connecticut life, except for the friends that I made, is pretty much behind me at this point.

DELAWARE – Only driven through Delaware on the way to various places. But it’s small, and I think all that it has there is road anyway. Maybe I’ll actually do something in Delaware someday but I doubt it.

FLORIDA – I have never been to Florida, which I find a little odd. You think that while living on the east coast the last decade I would have taken a vacation or something there, but I never have. I have an Army friend in Orlando, so maybe I’ll actually get to Florida sometime soon. We’ll see.

GEORGIA – My big experience with Georgia was Basic Training at Fort Benning. I have been back for work stuff a few times since then, but never as a vacation or anything. And if you fly a bit, it is pretty hard to avoid the airport there.

HAWAII – I went to Hawaii for Jen’s wedding a few years ago. That was pretty cool. I would like to go back, but I would prefer it to happen with a female companion or something. Being in Hawaii for a wedding by yourself is not a whole lot of fun.

IDAHO – Idaho is going to be green. While I have technically set foot in the state of Idaho, it wasn’t for very long (only to look at some temple), but most of the time spent there was en route to visit family in Canada.

ILLINOIS -Previous to my drive across the country, my experience with Illinois was limited to two of its airports: O’Hare and Midway. I actually stayed the night in Springfield on my way across the country, redirecting my route to specifically go to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.

INDIANA -Drove through on my way to Utah, but only stopped for Steak n’ Shake, so it will be bold, but be green.

IOWA – Briefly drove through Iowa on the same trip, and plan to go back to visit when I get around to writing the book about my father…maybe even take him with me to see if he remembers anything.

KANSAS – Just missed Kansas on my cross-country drive, but yet another seemingly boring state that I have never even flown through.

KENTUCKY -I spent two weeks at Fort Knox for some Army training before deploying, and I have flown through the Louisville Airport once or twice. Other than that… nothing.

LOUISIANA – Never been to Louisiana, but I would like to check out New Orleans some day. Except during hurricane season.

MAINE -Maine is the only state in New England that I have never been to. Going to try and rectify that this year. *UPDATE* Spent parts of two days in Maine last weekend when Megan came to visit. Boom!!

MARYLAND – I just spent a day not too long ago in the vicinity of Bowie. If I get the job at The Motley Fool, I might have to live in Maryland to afford to do the job. I’ll be back though, if only to go to a game at Camden Yards.*

*Despite living in Virginia for six months, I never went to a game at Camden Yards. 

MASSACHUSETTS – Been to Massachusetts numerous times, so we’ll just include it on the plain bold list.

MICHIGAN -I have flown through the Detroit airport once or twice, but nothing more.

MINNESOTA – As with Michigan, I have flown through Minneapolis/St. Paul a few times but nothing else.

MISSISSIPPI -Never been to Mississippi, but it sure is fun to type!

MISSOURI -I have flown through St. Louis a couple of times, including the first time I flew to Connecticut over 11 years ago. It was so long ago, the airline that I flew no longer exists. Also passed through it on my recent cross-country trip.

MONTANA -Only stops in Montana were for food and such en route to Canada, so it only counts as a drive through.

NEBRASKA -Drove through, and stayed the night, in Nebraska. Only thing I remember was that I didn’t have cell reception through the entire state.

NEVADA -I have been numerous places in Nevada, like Wendover and Las Vegas, but I also spent a bit of time driving through the state en route to San Francisco. I have also flown through the airport numerous times. Fact: the only time I have been to Las Vegas after turning 21 was to go to my BFF Megan’s wedding. (check out her blog. It’s awesome!)

NEW HAMPSHIRE – I’ve been to New Hampshire a few times for work, I honeymooned and vacationed there one year. I don’t really have a desire to visit, but I will go on occasion.

NEW JERSEY – I lived in New Jersey (Fort Dix) for a few months prior to departing for my longer vacation in Iraq last year. Jersey is not all that bad, but I need a reason to want to go there.

NEW MEXICO – I have never been to New Mexico, but I would like to go someday. Look at cacti or something.

NEW YORK – Spent a total of a few weeks in New York doing various things. I could take it or leave it personally.

NORTH CAROLINA – Spent two weeks at Fort Bragg for annual training a few years back, and have been back since for other Army stuff. An okay place.

NORTH DAKOTA – See Kansas

OHIO – I have flown through Cincinnati a few times, but have never really visited. Also drove through on my trip and stayed the night in a hotel there.

OKLAHOMA -See Kansas

OREGON – I still think it is odd that I have never been to Oregon or Washington state. Have to rectify that sometime in the future.

PENNSYLVANIA -Spent a bit of time in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania back in the day. Been to Philadelphia to see Ben Folds once.

RHODE ISLAND -I have been to Rhode Island at least a few times, spending some time at the beaches and whatnot.

SOUTH CAROLINA -Spent around four months or so at Fort Jackson learning how to be a paralegal for the Army. No stops since except flying back from Fort Bragg (see North Carolina).

SOUTH DAKOTA – See Kansas

TENNESSEE – Can’t think of anytime that I would have gone to Tennessee.

TEXAS – I have only flown through Texas, which is remarkable, but I will eventually get back to visit.

UTAH – I grew up in the Beehive State, spent nearly 20 years there. It will always be home.

VERMONT – Been to Vermont a few times for work stuff, nothing else.

VIRGINIA -I’ve run a few races in Arlington/DC. Also lived in Alexandria for six months while working for The Motley Fool.

WASHINGTON -See Oregon

WEST VIRGINIA – Went to a racetrack casino in West Virginia while living in Virginia. Never stayed overnight however.

WISCONSIN -I have spent many a week at Fort McCoy over the past 6 1/2 years or so learning how to do various facets of my job. Good times for sure, as long as you go between May and September and have a car available to use.

WYOMING – The last leg of my trip from Connecticut to Utah went through Wyoming. Not a pleasant trip in January, at least on one side of the Rocky Mountains.

By my count, I have officially been to 26 of the 50 states for a day or more, with fly-through visits to another four and driven through six more. I have some work to do to spend some quality time with the other twenty-four states.

Until next time…